Improvement in horse hay-forks



*te ind' f hay JOHN KNONEIL, OF KINGSTON, NEW YORK.

Letters Patent No. v82,979, dated October 13, 1868.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

, To all whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN K. ON EIL, of Kingston, in the county of Ulster, and Statel of N ew York, have invented an Improved [Drip-Lever for Horse Hay- Forks; and I'do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof', reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specilication- Figure l-being a side View of a fork, with the triplever attached-thereto.

Figure 2, aside view of the trip-lever.

' Like letters designate corresponding parts in both figures. Y

The instrument consists of a strong iron lever, A, having a half-hook beak, a, atone end, and short lever, B, with a half-hook beak, b, at one end, pivoted thereto.

The two beaks, a b, when brought together, hold a ring or eye, t', of the hoisting-rope C. l rIhe beaks are held together by means of a detent, c, which is hinged to the lever A, and has a catch-notch, j, in the'end thereof, toreceive the heel of the lever B, being forced and retained against the same by a spring, e.v

At the heel-end of the lever A, there is an eye, d, or its equivalent, in which a continuation, 7c, of the hoisting-rope C is secured.

Near this end of the said lever, two connecting-rods, E E, are hinged, and extend thence obliqnely, in different directions, to the two prongs G G of the fork, and are pivoted thereon at p p, equidistant `from the point fm where the said prongs are hinged together.

From the ,point m, also,'another connecting-arm, D, extends to the lever A, and is pivoted thereto at Z,

between the point n, where the other arms are hinged, and the beak-end of the lever.

A trippingcord, g, is attached to the detent c, and extends thence through the loop h on the lower edge or'side of the lever A, and thence down to the operator.

When the fork is set in the hay, the ring t of the hoisting-rope is inserted between the beaks t b of the two levers A B, and the heel of the lever Bis inserted in the notch f in the detent c, thereby firmly holding the ropev between the said beaks, and the fork with its load is hoisted thereby. When the forkhas reached the proper position for tripping,-the cord g is pulled, releasing the detent c, and, consequently, the rope C is set free from the beaks (t b, thereby throwing the weight upon the heel-end d. The e'ect ofthis isto reverse the position of the lever A,to spread the arms E E, and consequently the prongs G G, and thereby to release the hay therefrom.

Vha-t I claim as iny invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The two levers A B, with their beaks a b, and spring-detent c, connected and operating in combination with the prongs G G of the fork, -substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.

The above specification of my improved trip-lever or horse hay-dirk signed by me, this 1st day oi' May, 1868.

JOHN 'K. ON EIL. r W'itnesses:

EDM. F. BROWN, WM. F. BRowNn. 

